Phi Phi park chief denies being forced out over 'Farang Pricing'

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Protesters rally in front of Nopparat Thara–Phi Phi Islands National Park office in Krabi on Wednesday

 

KRABI — The chief of a national park that includes the renowned Phi Phi Islands on Thursday said he resigned solely for personal health reasons and not conflicts with local business groups as some have speculated.

 

Sarayuth Tansathien, director of the Nopparat Thara–Phi Phi Islands National Park, requested an immediate transfer Wednesday night, hours after a group of business operators held a protest demanding he slash island entry fees by half on the grounds they are discouraging tourism.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2017/02/23/phi-phi-park-chief-denies-forced-farang-pricing/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-2-23

Phi Phi national park chief resigns

Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

 

PHUKET:-- The Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park chief asked to be transferred to a different department yesterday.

He cited “failing health and work stress” as the reasons behind his decision, in a letter addressed to the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).

“I have been having health problems and the job is also stressful, which is why I'm asking for a change,” said Phi Phi Park Chief Sorayut Tansathian. “The protest regarding the park fee is just one of the reasons I've made this decision."

 

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phi-Phi-national-park-chief-resigns/66299?desktopversion

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2017-2-23

The entrance fee went up from less than 100 million to more than 500 million.

Still people claim he put money in his pockets.

He did a lot for safety including a first aid post on the islands including materials and trained staff.

There is a Speedboat Ambulance for emergency service.

Separate area's for swimmers and boats, clean up daily at all islands,

Weekly big clean ups at the mean beaches.

Extra trash bins and garbage collection point,

Better and cleaner toilets for tourists,

But the stress got to him, the local boat man demand less fees so they can keep on going to destroy the area.

They and lots of other commenters on posts about the National Park Fees do not care about safety and clean parks.

SAD.

11 minutes ago, Khun Robert said:

The entrance fee went up from less than 100 million to more than 500 million.

Still people claim he put money in his pockets.

He did a lot for safety including a first aid post on the islands including materials and trained staff.

There is a Speedboat Ambulance for emergency service.

Separate area's for swimmers and boats, clean up daily at all islands,

Weekly big clean ups at the mean beaches.

Extra trash bins and garbage collection point,

Better and cleaner toilets for tourists,

But the stress got to him, the local boat man demand less fees so they can keep on going to destroy the area.

They and lots of other commenters on posts about the National Park Fees do not care about safety and clean parks.

SAD.

that is all fine and dandy, I'd like to see a statement of accounts from both the park and the boat operators to see if the numbers add up for visitor numbers - I'd put money on it that they are vastly different, then and only then could it be determined if the charges are reasonable or if there is some elaborate accounting going on - I strongly suspect the latter

I'm thinking the extra income by keeping the fees off book did not materialize as now they are accountable. So I would want to move on too. Those positions cost a lot. 

Lets see what happens to the prices now he's gone.....then we will know the truth wont we ?

The consequences of Phi Phi'ing into the wind!

There's gonna be a drop in admission costs, and hopefully they'll investigate where all the money actually went to cos I'll lay odds it didn't (all) make it into Govt bank accounts.

12 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

The entrance fee went up from less than 100 million to more than 500 million.

Still people claim he put money in his pockets.

He did a lot for safety including a first aid post on the islands including materials and trained staff.

There is a Speedboat Ambulance for emergency service.

Separate area's for swimmers and boats, clean up daily at all islands,

Weekly big clean ups at the mean beaches.

Extra trash bins and garbage collection point,

Better and cleaner toilets for tourists,

But the stress got to him, the local boat man demand less fees so they can keep on going to destroy the area.

They and lots of other commenters on posts about the National Park Fees do not care about safety and clean parks.

SAD.

Excessive foreign entrance fees are not precursors to safety and cleanliness.

14 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

The entrance fee went up from less than 100 million to more than 500 million.

Still people claim he put money in his pockets.

He did a lot for safety including a first aid post on the islands including materials and trained staff.

There is a Speedboat Ambulance for emergency service.

Separate area's for swimmers and boats, clean up daily at all islands,

Weekly big clean ups at the mean beaches.

Extra trash bins and garbage collection point,

Better and cleaner toilets for tourists,

But the stress got to him, the local boat man demand less fees so they can keep on going to destroy the area.

They and lots of other commenters on posts about the National Park Fees do not care about safety and clean parks.

SAD.

 

OK, grossly rounding up

 

1st aid post : 2,000,000

Speed boat : 4,000,000

Separate swimming areas : 1,000,000

Weekly clean ups : 1,000,000

Bins : 1,000,000

Toilets : 2,000,000

 

11 million, round that up to 20,000,000.

 

So where is the other 480,000,000 going to?

 

He looks so happy to be transferred, in

the picture....

Large amounts of money in many societies, are breeding grounds for greed, corruption and crime. Oversight, checks and balances, public disclosure and transparency are sorely lacking in many places worldwide.

a National Park has only 10 % of the fees, the rest 90 % goes to Bangkok.

Koh Mu Phi Phi National Park wants to upgrade the waste water plant in Koh Phi Phi, estimated costs 300 million Thb.

 

with 50 million a year and is I see your costs calculation of 20 million a year it will take another 10 years saving.

At the moment 85 % of Phi Phi waste water goes non treated back into the Andaman Sea.

He made so much he done TIT

17 hours ago, smedly said:

that is all fine and dandy, I'd like to see a statement of accounts from both the park and the boat operators to see if the numbers add up for visitor numbers - I'd put money on it that they are vastly different, then and only then could it be determined if the charges are reasonable or if there is some elaborate accounting going on - I strongly suspect the latter

 

He was the man moved in to take over after money went missing pre-2015.

 

None of the protestors are complaining of anything other than the increase in entrance fees and the unwilingness of tourists to pay them.  Not how much has been taken on the gate and how it has been spent, or who's got it (answer: Central Government)......nothing.

 

How about "strongly suspecting" than the government increased the entrance fees not him?:

 

"However, Mr Natthapol later told Gazette reporters that it was in fact not possible to reduce park entry fees for foreigners, since these were set by a ministerial regulation."

 

There is absolutely no purpose or relevance whatsoever in the demonstrators demanding that he reduce the fees is there?

 

"He added that boat operators’ businesses may have been affected because there was more competition, as an astounding 248 new boats have been registered so far this year, adding to the 1,531 on record at the end of last year."

 

He has no control over any of it, so why hang around and take all the **** that rightfully belongs in Central Governments face?

 

And yet you and others have whirled off in into your own obsessive world of speculation that it's about malfeasance on the part of the local director, completely ignoring the actual issues.

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

a National Park has only 10 % of the fees, the rest 90 % goes to Bangkok.

Koh Mu Phi Phi National Park wants to upgrade the waste water plant in Koh Phi Phi, estimated costs 300 million Thb.

 

with 50 million a year and is I see your costs calculation of 20 million a year it will take another 10 years saving.

At the moment 85 % of Phi Phi waste water goes non treated back into the Andaman Sea.

 

If that carries on, then they won't need a waste treatment plant anymore. The island and its surrounding waters will have to be sealed of as a public death hazard.

 

I do hope the fish are not eating all that waste, it makes the odd piece of bread a bit laughable.

 

Indeed, it is quite possible that the bread is the only non-polluted thing the fish get to eat on Phi Phi.

 

 

Keep the fees the same 10 times what thais pay. GREAT IDEA. 

4 hours ago, rodney earl said:

Keep the fees the same 10 times what thais pay. GREAT IDEA. 

Yes not the same rules eh..i went to Erawan with my kids Farang .....and my thai wife 100 for her 300 for each of us yesterday at koh larn  ice cream 100 for the kids 40 for the wife guy openly said even tho my wife paid ...for you ok but must pay farang price for children ...nice eh